


Long Distance

by Jennypen



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Happy Early Christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 03:23:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8952010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jennypen/pseuds/Jennypen
Summary: Someone gets the Christmas present they need.





	

It didn’t take long for their sleep patterns to line up. Initially outlined by Allura, reinforced by Coran and defied by the Paladins, eventually they came around to a somewhat coordinated sleep schedule. Pidge, of course, ignored it for the most part - once everyone else had settled into a routine, the ship was quieter at ‘night’, and so she could work.

It hadn’t taken a genius to spot what was needed - but it had taken effort, negotiation and bribery to fill. Time passed and everyone noticed - noticed the approaching season, no-one moreso than Lance, and that’s why his gift took the most work. By the time she was almost done they were all in on it - Hunk had helped her scavenge parts, Keith had held a particularly uncooperative trader at sword-point and Shiro had stopped said trader from dying at sword-point. Allura had the biggest part to play, and it had taken some buttering-up from Coran to get her on board, but once she was enlightened to things she’d missed, she’d been more than willing to help.

Lance was sitting on the deck, half-hidden behind a column he leant against, face aimed sightlessly at the stars. Bright in their company but morose when he thought he was alone (either he’d forgotten about the ship-wide cameras, or simply didn’t care), they knew to give him a wide berth when he occupied the well-worn spot, but tonight was different.

  
When Pidge crept into the room with five of the sorriest excuses for stealth behind her, ruining the effect out of sheer bristling anticipation, it was most telling that Lance didn’t even register their presence until they came into his field of view.

“Oh,” he started, jolting slightly in surprise. “Hey guys. Uhm... Did... I do something wrong?” He squinted, and Pidge didn’t even have to look to know they presented an odd ensemble picture. “...am I dying?” He asked, serious, face falling slightly.

“No!” Shiro responded, faster than the rest of them by a hair.

“Not at all Lance,” Coran said, interrupting whatever Keith was about to grumble.

“Hey HEY!” Pidge said, shushing them. “This was MY idea, I get to tell him!” She delighted at the look of confusion that overtook Lance’s expression, and was pleased at the responding nods from the rest of them.

“So, Lance, we noticed you’ve been homesick.” Lance’s gaze snapped to her, before looking sharply at Coran, betrayal in his eyes. “Hey,” Pidge snapped, stepping forward to she filled Lance’s vision. “I said noticed, dumbum, you told Coran but everyone can see it, subtlety is not your middle name.”

Chastened, Lance’s mouth closed and he nodded.

“Soooooooo I had an idea,” Pidge carried on, enjoying the drama of the moment. “It took a while, and we all helped out, but - well, hold on, wait.” She looked at her chrono, pushed a button and grinned. “Do you know what day it is?”

“Pidge, I’ve learned time is a social construct. I have no idea what day it is by whatever measuring system anyone uses anymore.”

Pidge smirked. “Yeah, same, but my old watch knows. Today’s December 24th, and if I remember time zones properly, it’s almost midnight in Cuba.” Lance froze at her words, and looked up at her with naked hope.

“Wh- really?”

“Yup,” she said, triumphantly. “So we all worked together to get you a Christmas present, okay? We all know we can’t go back or we risk bringing Galra forces to Earth - again - so hopefully this is the next best thing.” She pulled a remote out of her pocket, and pushed one of an array of buttons.

  
There was a muted clank, and outside the window, a small device spun slowly into view, holding its position outside the ship. There was the softest beep, and then a corresponding set of green lights lit up on both the remote and device.

“You got me a... thingy?” Lance asked, lost.

“No, you idiot, hold on. Allura?”

Wordlessly, Allura stepped forward with a smile and held out both hands, and a wormhole blinked into existence, flooding the deck with astral light. Lance, still unable to comprehend what was happening, waited for more, knowing there had to be something else.

From her other pocket, Pidge produced the piece de resistance, and Lance’s eyes widened as he finally understood the scale of the gift Pidge was giving him. When he looked at her, it was through watery eyes, and his hand shook as he reached out to take the phone from her - his own phone, charged by a custom-made charger that had taken Hunk almost a week to get right, swearing all the while about Apple’s accessory licensing restrictions.

“Does... does it work?” he asked, voice near inaudible.

“Heck yeah it does,” Pidge answered proudly, “For as long as Allura holds the wormhole open, anyway.” Her chrono beeped. “Midnight. Go make a call, because it takes a lot to keep- Oof!” she grunted, finding herself swept up in a shaking, gangling hug, Lance’s bony arms wrapping around her completely and then some.

“Thank you,” he whispered into her ear, and though he wasn’t smiling, she knew he was happy. “Thanks, Pidge.”

“Merry Christmas, Lance,” she answered quietly, hugging him back until he pulled back, looking gratefully at each of them in turn, before he looked down at the ground. He didn’t move, and it took Shiro to get it.

“How about we give Lance some privacy, hmm?”

“But-“ Keith started, and Hunk cut him off.

“Yessir,” he said brashly, and grinned openly at Lance. “Happy Christmas, buddy. See you downstairs in a sec? You’re helping chop veggies, big dinner tomorrow.”

Lance nodded, a tiny smile lifting his cheeks. Coran gave him a brief, bolstering hug around his shoulders and they turned to leave. Allura closed her eyes - she had to stay put - but the rest of them piled on top of each other just outside the door to keep within earshot.

  
There was a pause of a few moments, and then-

“...hi, Mom?”

**Author's Note:**

> Seasons' Greetings to all the nicest people in the fandom (that's you, yes, you) - thank you for all your loveliness in 2016, here's hoping for a shinier 2017!


End file.
